You probably brought your new Havanese puppy home when he was about eight weeks of age. At that age he is old enough to begin learning some basic rules of behavior. It’s up to you to be consistent when setting and enforcing these rules. The dog will become confused if you’re not consistent in your demands upon him.
The first things he needs to learn is where he is allowed to eat. This will be easily learned if his food and water dish are always the same and located in the same place for each meal. He can be assigned a place to retire to and groom himself or rest; a private secure area which he can reliably call his own. He can be learn to eat, walk outside, and play according to a dependable routine. He can be taught to understand the word “NO.” He can quickly learn that you, not he, is the boss. This is the period when he can be most effectively crate trained.

At about three months you can begin to teach him simple commands like sit, stay, lie down. He can be trained to always come when called, not to run away, and to walk on a leash without pulling, and to permit you to remove anything from his mouth without reaction. He can now learn to become socialized with other family members and pets. Between four and six months it will be possible to begin training the dog to perform tricks, play games, and enjoy family activities like hide and seek.

Of course it’s easy to suggest what your dog can learn at which time; it’s another thing to actually accomplish the training. Remember that your Havanese is an intelligent dog with a delightful disposition. The most important component of successful training is your attitude.
• Never show anger when training.
• Give positive rewards when a training milestone is met.
• Always be affectionate to the dog and he will learn to trust and love you, and work very hard to please you.
• Always speak to the dog in a calming tone. Raising you voice will frighten him and distract him from the training activity.
• Always try to provide training in an area free from distractions.
• Learn to understand when the dog is tired, and don’t force him to train.
• Expect to repeat lesson over and over several times before the dog totally understands.

Training is a process that never ends. Once your dog has learned a certain behavior, you’ll need to reinforce it at all times. Your dog will become an important part of your family. Its behavior will affect all family activities in which the dog is a part. If your dog is well socialized and trained to exhibit acceptable behavior he will be welcomed wherever you go.

Brushing and Clipping
Brushing your dog’s hair regularly keeps the coat in top condition. Havanese dogs are said to be non-shedding, and it’s true that they don’t shed readily, but the coat must be brushed daily to remove dead hair. It also provides the dog with a gentle massage to improve circulation. Regular brushing offers owners the opportunity to examine the dog’s coat and skin for ticks or other parasites or hidden wounds. If you’ve had considerable experience clipping dogs’ coats you can give your dog a bimonthly trim. If you’re not an expert, it’s worth the few dollars expense to have a professional with the proper tools do the job.

Bathing
How often your Havanese needs a bath depends upon his lifestyle and his color. A white active Havanese could need a weekly bath, especially if he is allowed up on the furniture and bedding. Keeping the coat clean helps to keep the coat free of tangles. A Havanese that lives primarily as a house pet may not require bathing as often.

Eyes
Dogs with bright white coats like Havanese often get discolored hair near the eyes, usually red. Wash the skin around the eyes using a soft wash cloth or cotton ball. This staining can be minimized through daily cleaning. Lotions are available from pet stores that can help minimize eye irritation.

Ears
All dogs with long, wide, floppy ears are prone to ear infections. The floppy ears cover the ear canal so efficiently that moisture collects and cannot escape. Infections can be avoided by regularly cleaning the ears with a washcloth or cotton swab. Hair in the ears should also be removed using your fingers or tweezers. Be very careful not to probe too far into the ear canal.

Teeth
Dogs, like humans, have plaque buildup form on their teeth. This plaque can turn into tartar, support colonies of bacteria, and cause infections. Regularly brushing your Havanese’s teeth can keep the teeth and gums healthy. Use toothpaste which is made especially for a dog’s teeth. Canine toothpastes are available at all pet supply stores. To the delight of dogs, they come with a choice of chicken, liver, and malt flavors.

Nails and Paws
Your Havanese’s nails will become too long if not trimmed. Dogs do not like having this done, especially if they have had the quick injured in previous trimmings. If you don’t feel comfortable trimming your dog’s nails, seek the help of a professional groomer. Also, when you clip your dog’s fur, pay specific attention to the paws. The Havanese’s hair grows so quickly that it can build up to form a slipper like cushion which can cause the dog to slip on smooth surfaces.

Havanese are also susceptible to juvenile cataracts, which can also impair vision, and luxating patellas (slipping kneecaps), ear infections, tearstains, and dry skin. To reduce the incidence of luxating patellas, HCA requires thatpuppy knees be checked before the age of six months; any puppy showing signs of the condition cannot be used for breeding. The Havanese is a hardy dog overall, with a tolerance for a wide range of temperatures and a relatively long life-span of 12-15 years.

Like any breed of dog, the Havanese is subject to a variety of health concerns. Your best bet is, when deciding to choose a new Havanese puppy, check around with several breeders and ask about the various health issues that can affect these beautiful little dogs. A reputable breeder should be well-versed in the health concerns and should be able to give you more details, as well as showing you the sire and dam of your potential puppy. Some of the health problems that can affect Havanese Dogs include:

• Juvenile cataracts
• Chondrodysplasia
• Legg-Calve-Perthes (LCP)
• Elbow dysplasia
• Liver abnormalities
• Cardiac problems

Again, a responsible breeder will be well educated about these problems that can occur in the Havanese breed and have their breeding dogs undergo rigorous testing to help ensure that their puppies will not have these disorders. It is extremely important that you educate yourself about health conditions affecting the Havanese so that you can be sure you are dealing with a breeder from whom you will acquire a healthy, well socialized puppy.

Havanese are generally considered healthy and sturdy dogs, and live between 12?16 years, though there is a prior history of genetic conditions with this breed. Don’t buy outside recognised breeder circles, and research the history of the breeders stock.

Havanese, even ones not to be bred, should go through several tests, including a one-time BAER hearing test, a CERF eye test annually, and a Patellar Palpation and Hip Evaluation. Soaping has also become a popular way for breeders to test health. It involves soaping up the dog to flatten the coat to its body and reveal the structure of the legs. Crooked, bowed or over short legs are a symptom related to many Havanese health issues, and dogs suffering from them should not be bred.

Because of the small genetic pool from which the Havanese were revived, Havanese organizations around the world are always on the lookout for new health and genetic issues that may come to the fore in this lovable and generally healthy breed.

The Havanese commonly has cataracts, poodle eye (which is discharge from the eye and staining), PRA (causes blindness in both eyes), dry skin, or luxating patellas (knee problem sometimes leading to lameness) but these disorders mostly appear when this breed ages. An average life expectancy for the long living Havanese is 14-15 years.

Buying a Havanese dog sometimes takes a little patience and effort. Most breeders are very protective of the breed. You’ll find those who have havanese dogs for sale are careful who they sell to because they don’t want to see the Havanese overbred by commercial breeders.

You should know that if you are looking for a Havanese puppy from a good quality breeder that you may be put on a waiting list. Most breeders keep their dogs in their home and may only keep a few adult dogs. They may not breed very often. Since Havanese dogs are toy dogs, they do not have large litters. You may have to wait six months or up to two years if you want a puppy from a particular breeder. The wait is well worth it. Puppies obtained from these devoted breeders usually come from the very best parents — dogs which have been tested for health and which have the best temperaments and conformation. Good breeders will keep in touch with you and keep you updated on how things are going.

Sometimes you may find a show breeder who needs to re-home an adult dog. This may be a retired champion. Sometimes people simply don’t have room for all of the dogs they have and need to find a home for one. These are often lovely dogs with great temperaments who have been well-socialized. They just need a new home.

You should do plenty of research when you are looking around for a Havanese dog, whether you want a puppy or an adult. You should be aware of the potential health problems in the Havanese dog. Although they are considered a generally healthy breed these issues can occur. That does not mean that every dog will get one of these problems. It only means that they have occurred with some dogs:

• Cataracts
• Cherry Eye
• Chondrodysplasia
• Deafness
• Hip Dysplasia
• Legg Perthes (or Legg-Calve-Perthes)
• Liver Shunt
• Patellar Luxation (slipped kneecaps)

These are all issues that you should ask about when you talk to a breeder. They should be able to tell you if any of these problems have occurred in their dogs, particularly in the parents of your havanese puppy or dog you are interested in.

Havanese dogs can be tested for the following conditions:

• BAER hearing test
• Cardiac
• Elbow dysplasia
• Hip dysplasia
• Legg-Calve-Perthes
• Luxating Patellas
• Sebaceous Adenitis
• Thyroid

Note that none of these tests are required but you can ask the dog breeder if they have had their dogs tested for these conditions. Asking about health conditions before you get a puppy or dog goes a long way toward preventing heartbreak after taking a puppy or dog home.

When you have chosen a breeder you like and there is a puppy or dog available you will almost certainly be asked to sign a contract. This contract will cover things such as the breeder’s health guarantees and your own responsibilities. Many Havanese breeders require owners to agree to spay or neuter their puppy or dog. They may also sell the puppy or dog on “Limited Registration” with the AKC. This means that the dog is registered with the AKC but that it is not eligible to compete in conformation events. Their offspring cannot be registered with the AKC. However, the dog may compete in performance events such as obedience, agility and rally.

Some breeders may want to keep your puppy or dog’s AKC registration papers until you provide evidence that you have spayed or neutered your puppy/dog. Strictly speaking, this is illegal under AKC rules. Registration papers are supposed to be given to the buyer at the time of sale. If the seller insists on holding onto the registration papers then they must clearly state the conditions in their bill of sale or contract and they must be delivered to you when the puppy/dog is spayed or neutered.

You should also discuss with the seller who will register the pup. Will you have the right to choose the registered name yourself? Some breeders prefer to choose the registered name themselves. If you have a problem with this you should say so.

The breeder should also discuss with you your puppy or dog’s care. They should tell you what the havanese puppy or dog has been eating, what vaccinations the puppy or dog has had and what schedule to continue with vaccinations, heartworm prevention, worming and other health care basics. And, of course, they should answer any questions that you have about grooming, housetraining and care of your puppy/dog.

Buying a Havanese puppy from a breeder should provide you with the kind of safety net that you don’t get when you obtain a dog from other sources. The breeder should be there for you for the rest of your puppy or dog’s life. Most breeders are even there for you if, for any reason, you are not able to keep your dog during his lifetime. Forming a good relationship with your breeder from the start helps both you and your Havanese puppy. Your breeder has a wealth of knowledge about the breed that they can pass on to you. Get to know them. It can be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Just as we teach our children, the values of life so also, we must teach our Havanese. Learning starts from the very day they are born.

At 8 weeks of age: The Havanese puppy must be taught simple everyday things:

• Where his water dish is?
• Which is his private nook in the house?
• His daily schedule – eating, playing, bedtime, quite time, and bathrooming schedules. A routine has positive effects.
• The meaning of “no.”
• Who is boss?

You can teach the infant simple things like house rules, housebreaking norms, crate training, being handled by you as well as others, as well as bite inhibition.

When your Havanese puppy is 3-4 months old: He can be taught simple commands: sit, stay, down, to come when called, to never run away, to walk politely on leash, to “give”—handover when asked, anything he has in his mouth, stop barking when you say “No Bark,” as well as people skills (socialization).

When your Havanese puppy is 4-6 months—the training becomes more intense and goes to a higher level. You can teach the pet eye contact, to listen attentively when you speak, hand gestures, to play fetch, to do tricks, to greet guests politely, to have a “Lie down” and rest, to recognize family members by name, play hide and seek, and more.

Havanese Puppy Training Tips
Havanese puppies are like human kids—you will find that the puppy is excitable, easily distracted, forgets what he has been taught, and is sometimes reluctant to learn. It is with long interaction with your dog that you learn what is feasible and what is not.

Treat your Havanese puppy with lots of love and respect—just as you like respect so does your Havanese dog. If you give him plenty of love, attention, nurturing, as well as hugs and kisses from day one – the dog will learn to love you, allow you to take the place of its mother, respect you and look up to you for guidance.
Always use a soft and calm tone with your Havanese dog. Shrill or loud tones only serve to excite the dog. To establish control over the dog, you need to speak to him in soft and firm tones. When training a havanese puppy, teach it that you are in control of the situation and will handle all matters calmly.

Always select a place for puppy obedience training that is a distraction free zone. This will help both you and the dog focus on the lesson and not the surroundings. Once learning becomes an established routine and your puppy learns to concentrate, focus, and respond well to your commands you should gradually introduce distractions /disturbances in the form of people, noises, other dogs and so on. And soon you will find, that your puppy responds to your commands even in public places.

Keep a watch for the body language of the dog—you will be able to tell when he is distracted, when he is not in a mood to learn, when he is not focusing. Adjust to his needs – he too has good days and bad. Never force a dog or nag him. Go slow in the lessons — if necessary, go back 2-3 steps before you go forward.

Use only positive training methods—they work better and are enjoyable.

Love, patience, and persistence are the three keys to efficient havanese training. Havanese dogs are very easily trained and lovable. Follow the tips here and you will find it easy to care for your new pet.